Spark consortium has completed nearly one‑fifth of the arch pours in the SEM tunnel on Melbourne’s North East Link, marking another step forward in the tunnelling works.
A purpose‑designed formwork system was developed specifically for the tunnel’s 12m-high arches, enabling concrete to be pumped from the surface directly into position. Once cured, the formwork is stripped and moved forward to support the next arch pour.
This month also saw the successful pour of the first cross-passage arch junction.
Since the start of the year, the SEM team and the Bulleen cut and cover team have been excavating towards each other, removing more than 60,000m³ of material. With the breakthrough now complete, it’s possible to walk the full length of this tunnel section, which will connect to the Eastern Freeway once open.
Last month, Spark consortium completed the final invert pour: https://www.tunnelsandtunnelling.com/news/spark-prepares-for-final-breakthrough-on-north-east-link/] for the SEM tunnel.
The North East Link’s 6.5km-long tunnels will run from Watsonia and Bulleen. They will be the state of Victoria’s longest twin road tunnels.
